[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR317.20]

[Page 182-183]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 317_LABELING, MARKING DEVICES, AND CONTAINERS--Table of Contents
 
                            Subpart A_General
 
Sec. 317.20  Scale requirements for accurate weights, repairs, adjustments, 
and replacement after inspection.

    (a) All scales used to weigh meat products sold or otherwise 
distributed in commerce in federally inspected meat establishments shall 
be installed, maintained and operated to insure accurate weights. Such 
scales shall meet the applicable requirements contained in National 
Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 44, ``Specifications, 
Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring 
Devices'', 1999 Edition, November 1998, which is incorporated by 
reference. This incorporation was approved by the Director of the 
Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 
(These materials are incorporated as they exist on the date of 
approval.) Copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, 
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. It is also 
available for inspection at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/
federal--register/code--of--federal--regulations/ibr--locations.html.
    (b) All scales used to weigh meat products sold or otherwise 
distributed in commerce or in States designated under section 301(c) of 
the Federal Meat Inspection Act, shall be of sufficient capacity to 
weigh the entire unit and/or package.
    (c) No scale shall be used at a federally inspected establishment to 
weigh meat products unless it has been found upon test and inspection, 
as specified in NIST Handbook 44, to provide accurate weight. If a scale 
is reinspected or retested and found to be inaccurate, or

[[Page 183]]

if any repairs, adjustments or replacements are made to a scale, it 
shall not be used until it has been inspected and tested by a USDA 
official, or a State or local government weights and measures official, 
or State registered or licensed scale repair firm or person, and it must 
meet all accuracy requirements as specified in NIST Handbook 44. If a 
USDA inspector has put a retain tag on a scale it can only be removed by 
a USDA inspector. As long as the tag is on the scale, it shall not be 
used.

[55 FR 49834, Nov. 30, 1990, as amended at 60 FR 12884, Mar. 9, 1995; 64 
FR 53187, Oct. 1, 1999]